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THE ORANGE ORDER:
An Evangelical Perspective
ORANGEISM COMPARED WITH FREEMASONRY
SOME EVANGELICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED A REPLY TO W.J.McK.McCORMICKBy REV.
IAN MEREDITH B.A., M.Th. Grand Chaplain Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland &
REV. BRIAN KENNAWAY M.A. Deputy Grand Chaplain Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
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2 THE AUTHORS Rev. lan Meredithjoined the Junior Orange Lodge as a boy. Then
he joined L.O.L. 4 in Paisley in 1969. In 1972 he helped to start
"Evangelical Christian Crusaders" L.O.L. 128 in Edinburgh, and is presently
a Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland. His theological
training was at the London Bible College, Spurgeons College (B.A.) and
London University (M.Th.).
He is a Minister in the United Reformed Church (Presbyterian &
Congregational) in England. Rev. Brian Kennawayjoined "Christian Crusaders"
L.O.L. 1339 in 1964. He is a Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge
of Ireland, and Convener of the Education Committee. He was educated at
Trinity College Dublin (M.A.) and received his theological training at Union
Theological College, Belfast. He is a Minister of the Presbyterian Church in
Ireland.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to thank a number of people associated with this booklet.
The members of the Orange Order in Ghana for their enthusiasm in suggesting
that a talk on this subject be published for distribution. To Mr Erie
Dzikuno, Grand Master of Ghana for making the arrangements for the delivery
of the lecture which has been substantially expanded into this present
material. To Rev. Canon Dr. S.E. Long, Imperial Grand Chaplain, and Mr lan
Wilson, editor of the "Orange Torch", for many helpful suggestions. First
published June 1993 Copyright lan Meredith & Brian Kennaway ISBN
0-9515637-1-8
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3 CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 4 1. LODGES AND THE CHRISTIAN 5 2. THERE ARE
LODGES AND THERE ARE LODGES 5 3. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ORANGE LODGES AND
OTHER LODGES 6 4. DIFFERFENCES BETWEEN ORANGE AND OTHER LODGES 7 Purpose God
Jesus The Bible Membership Ritual 5. SYMBOLISM 11 6. ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE 12
7. SECRECY 12 8. JESUS AND SECRECY 13 9. THE EARLY CHURCH AND SECRECY 14 10.
OATHS 15 11. PARA - CHURCH ORGANISATIONS 15 12. ORANGEISM AND THE GOSPEL 16
13. EVANGELICAL OBJECTIONS 17 14. WHY ORANGEISM? 19 Appendix 1: "The
Qualifications of an Orangeman" 20 Appendix 2: "A Reply to W. J.
McK.McCormick" 21 Notes 25
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4 INTRODUCTION In recent years the question of the Christian's relationship
to Freemasonry has come under the strict scrutiny of the churches. The major
denominations have made statements concerning lodge membership.
These statements have varied from the 'incompatible' of the Church of
England, Church of Scotland, and the Methodist Church to the more recent
conclusion of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
that they 'disapprove' of involvement in Freemasonry. With the popularity of
such anti-cult writers as the late W.J. McK.McCormick, whose book "Christ,
The Christian & Freemasonry" has gone into its third edition, many are of
the opinion that what applies to the Masonic Lodge also applies to the
Orange Lodge.
There is the tendency to lump all 'lodges' together - 'one is as bad as the
other'! The points of criticism of the Orange Order raised by Mr McCormick,
and dealt with in "Appendix 2", stand in stark contrast to the statement of
Rev. F. Rupert Gibson, a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1971) and Superintendent of "The Irish
Mission" of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; - "Probably there is no
human institution claiming to he based on the Bible and professing to
maintain the principles of the Reformed Faith, which has been more bitterly
maligned by its avowed foes and more falsely represented by those who
profess to he its friends, than the Orange Order".
(1)In many walks of life today people come to their own conclusions on the
basis of very little evidence. Often people are persuaded to come to firm
convictions after watching one television programme or reading one newspaper
article. There is a general reluctance to research a subject thoroughly -
after all that takes time to say nothing of hard work! We are persuaded that
this is the case with reference to the Orange Order today.
Many have come to their own conclusions on the basis of hearsay, limited
knowledge, or in some cases no knowledge at all. The writer of Proverbs
warns us "He who answers a matter before he hears the facts, it is folly and
shame to him." (Proverbs 18:11 Amplified Bible) The purpose of this study is
to make it clear that, contrary to the popular belief of some, there is no
connection between the Freemasons and the Loyal Orange Institution.We hope
by setting the record straight, we will inform the mind, correct such
misunderstandings as exist, and present an honest assessment of the purpose
and place of the Loyal Orange Institution.
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5 LODGES AND THE CHRISTIAN
Today millions of men, and women, belong to societies styled "lodges". In
Britain, the largest is the Freemasons (Masons). Similar organisations
include the Foresters and the Buffalos. For many years no one knew much
about them. However, things changed in the 1960's and '70's when the
Freemasons' hitherto secret rituals and beliefs became public knowledge,
through books like James Dewar's "The Unlocked Secret" (2)and Stephen
Knight's "The Brotherhood". (3)The initiation rites were considered bizarre;
the secrecy gave rise to suspicion, and the accusation that lodge membership
secured promotion and business deals hinted at corruption.
The secular attack was soon followed in the 1970's and '80's by condemnation
from the Christian press. Writers (4)attacked "lodges" as being no place for
Christians. Former Masons gave testimony as to why they had rejected the
lodge after their conversion. The charismatic renewal, with its abhorrence
of the occult, also felt that lodge membership opened one up to possible
demonic influence and had to be renounced. Furthermore, several mainline
denominations like the Church of England (5), the Church of Scotland and the
Methodist Church brought out reports suggesting that Freemasonry was
incompatible with Christianity. More recently, in 1992, the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland stated that they "... . . ..
disapprove of communicant members of the Church being involved in
Freemasonry."
(6)Research into lodge beliefs and origins has indeed caused many to
question. But it also has to be admitted that some of the motives for
condemnation have been less than worthy. Ministers can often be jealous of
lodges, which seem to offer more fraternity and opportunities than their own
churches. Often disgruntled former members have distorted their past
experiences. Myths and silly stories abound and it is difficult to get to
the truth. Moreover, the reluctance of the Freemasons to discuss their
beliefs and practices only gives more ammunition to those who seek to
discredit them "THERE ARE LODGES AND THERE ARE LODGES" Let us explain. It
has to be said at the outset that we are not defending lodges in general.
We are not members of the Masons, the Oddfellows or any similar
organisation. Many of the arguments against lodges would find an echo in our
own hearts. On the other hand, we are not out to attack them in this
booklet. Where we emphasise the differences between the Orange Order and
other lodges, we do so, not to condemn but simply to compare. The first
thing we would like the critics of the Orange Lodge to realise is that just
as there are churches and churches so there are lodges and lodges.
Evangelical believers would view groups like the Mormons and the
Spiritualists as unscriptural.
However both groups call themselves "churches"- The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints and The Christian Spiritualist Church. Do we therefore
condemn all churches ? No, that would be silly. Yet when it comes to lodges,
why should people condemn all lodges ? Obviously we approve or disapprove of
a church on the basis of its beliefs-not what it is called. Unfortunately
the Orange Lodge is often condemned, simply because of what it is called, by
people who know nothing of its beliefs! We have read most of the
denominational reports against Freemasonry and have read many anti-Masonic
books by Christian writers. The main arguments against Freemasonry cannot be
used against the Orange Order. Although there may be similarities in
organisation and style, the basic
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6 philosophies and theologies are as "chalk and cheese". Rev. W. Martin
Smyth, Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland is quoted in
response to a question as saying; - "As a Christian I come to the Father
through Christ in prayer etc. Therefore I would have to give muted testimony
to my Lord if I accepted Masonic ritual".
(7)The Orange Lodge is based on an entirely different system of belief. In
this booklet we will look at the similarities but we wish to concentrate
mainly on the differences, so that you can judge our society on its own
merits and beliefs. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ORANGE LODGES AND OTHER LODGES The
Orange Order was founded in Ireland in 1795. Its background was the conflict
between Roman Catholics and Protestants, which exists sadly to this day. The
history and nature of this conflict would take a book in itself to explain.
In Ireland as a whole, Protestants have always been the minority and have
suffered much for their faith under the Roman Catholic majority.
In the year 1641 for instance, there was a terrible massacre in Ireland in
which it is estimated that up to 100,000 Protestants were brutally murdered
by their Catholic neighbours, who were in many cases encouraged by their
priests. It was partly the fear of acts like this recurring, which led the
Protestants in the 1680's to look to the Prince of Orange, later King
William III, for protection. William's victory in 1690 secured civil and
religious liberty for all and was the beginning of western democracy. One
hundred years later however there was still tension.
In the 1790's around the time of the French Revolution, Protestants living
in rural areas of Ireland were suffering attack. There was a general air of
fear and a heightening of tension with the foundation of the United Irishmen
in 1791. After a disturbance in Benburb on 24th June 1794, in which
Protestant homes were attacked, the Freemasons' organisation was appealed to
by one of its members, James Wilson, to organise themselves to defend the
Protestant population. The Masons refused, whereupon Wilson, indignant at
their lack of help, left them and prophesied that he "would light a star. .
. . which would eclipse them forever". (8)He had already organised the
Orange Boys at the Dian (County Tyrone) in 1792, as is evidenced by the
notice in the Belfast News Letter on 1st February 1793, which referred to a
meeting of the 138 members of the Orange Boys held on 22ndJanuary 1793.
After the Battle of the Diamond (near Loughgall, County Armagh), on 21st
September 1795, the Protestants vowed to adopt means to defend themselves.
Thus a new organisation was formed - the Loyal Orange Institution of
Ireland, into which James Wilson brought his Orange Boys, for which he was
awarded the first Orange Warrant - LOL 1.
While James Wilson was at the Battle of the Diamond and involved in the
origins of the Orange Institution, a more prominent figure was James Sloan
of Loughgall who issued Warrants for the formation of the first Lodges.
Because of the hostile environment, the new society had to maintain some
structure of secrecy for the preservation of life, yet it is worthy of note
that the first public demonstration took place with the full approval of the
authorities in 1796, the year after the Order was founded. This new
Institution found a wide acceptance among the beleaguered Protestants of
Ireland, and grew rapidly in the early years. Because some of the founders
had been Masons they used the Masonic system, which they knew worked.
However, this new society was not Protestant Freemasonry but an organisation
with a totally different philosophy and motivation.
There were and are some similarities, the local branches or clubs of both
are known as 'lodges', but the word
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7 lodge is quite neutral. It simply means a club or meeting of men (or
women). Moreover the governing body in each country is known as the Grand
Lodge. The members are known as "brother" and "sister". There are also
similar aspects of decorum and ceremony but there are important differences.
As we have already said, there are churches and churches; there are chapters
and chapters; and there are lodges and lodges! THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
ORANGE AND ALL OTHER LODGES Having considered some similarities, we now move
to the main part of our argument, which is the differences. We need to
consider these very seriously and in so doing we will compare our Orange
Lodges with the other lodges in order to bring out the differences. I
PURPOSE The very reason for our existence is completely different. Some
lodges like the Oddfellows, Buffalos and Foresters, while using the system
of secrecy, ritual and symbolism, are in the main "friendly societies".
In the days before life insurance, poorer people pooled their money in order
to help each other out in times of illness, death and burial. In addition,
there is friendship and works of charity. Ritual initiation provides a bit
of fun, colour and mystery. Freemasonry however is "A peculiar system of
morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". (9)It exists, as
we understand it, to promote universal brotherhood, uplift morality and
engage in works of charity. Sometimes donations may be given to churches by
lodges, but the purpose would certainly not be to promote any religion as
such; certainly not Christianity and most definitely not Protestantism.
The Orange Order by contrast exists to defend and promote the Protestant
faith. We believe that Protestantism is purer and closer to the New
Testament in doctrine and practice than any other form of Christianity. The
"Laws and Constitution of the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland" state:
"The Orange Brotherhood is formed of Protestants desiring, to the utmost of
their power, to uphold the interests of Protestantism throughout the world."
(10)The Irish "Constitution" adds: "The Institution is composed of
Protestants, united and resolved to the utmost of their power to support and
defend . . . . . . . the Protestant Religion. It is exclusively an
Association of those who are attached to the religion of the Reformation."
(11)The newly admitted candidate is enjoined to abide "a devoted servant of
God, a true believer in His Son, Jesus Christ." He is then told to "keep
firm in the Protestant faith, holding steadfastly its pure doctrines, and
observing its ordinances." (12)Fraternity, charity and mutual support are
benefits of belonging to our Order but they are not our primary aim. Our
purpose is the advancement of pure biblical Christianity, as opposed to the
superstitions and idolatries of Romanism.
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8 I GOD Many of the church reports indicating that lodges like the
Freemasons are incompatible with Christianity point to the ideas they have
of God as being un-Christian. On the one hand Masonry claims to have no
theology, as religious matters may not he discussed in lodge assembled. On
the other hand, words are addressed to God in prayer, suggesting a knowledge
of God and thus a theology. Members of lodges are required simply to believe
in a "Supreme Being" and in Masonry he is styled "The Great Architect of the
Universe".
He is not necessarily the "Christian God" nor the "Moslem God", but could be
interpreted as such by individual members. Masonry leaves it to the lodge
members to interpret him according to their own faith. Thus the Masonic
"god" can be the god of the Christians, Moslems, Jews or others. Lodge
critics have also concluded that the Masonic theology is deistic. The god of
Masonry is a cold, impersonal, distant god who having started the world
leaves men to get on with it and find their own way in life. Some see the
Masonic god as being simply the lowest common denominator among monotheistic
religions, thus providing a melting pot or point of unity for all such
religions.
This criticism could never be levelled against the Orange Order. In "The
Qualifications of an Orangeman" we read: "An Orangeman should have a sincere
love and veneration for his Heavenly Father." (13)Thus the "God" of
Orangeism is not just distant and creative but near and fatherly. This
speaks of a relationship and a God who can be known, related to, loved and
revered. In other words, He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
and not just any god! I JESUS CHRISTAnother objection raised by Christians
against lodges like the Masons is that there is no place for Jesus Christ.
With such lodges in mind, General William Booth of the Salvation Army once
said, "The place where Jesus Christ is not allowed is no place for any
Salvation Army officer." (14)Jesus is not in the Masonic prayers, nor are
they "in and through the name of Jesus". His name is omitted and He is not
recognised. Jesus Christ would certainly not be regarded as the "only
mediator between God and man" but simply as one of a number of "exemplars"
including Buddha and Mohammed. Orthodox Christians find this objectionable.
In open lodge no one could get up and give testimony to Christ's saving
power.
The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus would not be of much interest to
these lodges. Such a criticism could not be made of the Orange Lodge. "The
Qualifications of an Orangeman" continue: "An Orangeman should have ... a
humble and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind,
believing in Him as the only Mediatorbetween God and man." (15)Freemasonry
could not advocate such a doctrine, as it would be offensive to their Moslem
and Jewish members. Orangeism has no such qualms. We exalt the Lord Jesus as
"the only way" to the Father (John 14:7) and as the only name under heaven
by which men can be saved (Acts 4:12). All the formal prayers of Orange
Lodges are "through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
The universal
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9 prayer of the Christian Church, "The Lords Prayer" is said at every
meeting. Orange Lodges may sing gospel hymns. Chaplains may exhort on the
gospel. Testimony may be given in open lodge. The Jesus Christ of Orangeism
is the One of Whom the Scriptures testify- "For in Christ all the fullness
of the Deity lives in bodily form"(Colossians 2:9) I THE BIBLEThe Bible is
used in some Freemasons' lodges. But it is referred to as "The Volume of the
Sacred Law". But that volume need not be the Bible.
For a Moslem it may be the Koran, for a Hindu the Vedas. Thus the Bible is
not regarded as the only authoritative Word of God, but rather, one among
many possible revelations, each of equal validity, according to the
conscience of the lodge member. Thus Masonic apologist Christopher Haffner
writes: "The sacred volume can be the Koran or the Vedas. The Grand Lodges
of the British Isles have seen fit to describe all those books as a
revelation from above. The candidate fixes which book is binding on his
conscience." (16)In the Orange Order, however, the Bible takes on a very
different role. On joining an Orange Lodge the candidate receives a copy of
the Bible, with the words said, "I now place in your hands a copy of the
Word of God", followed by various New Testament texts supporting the
inspiration and authority of the Scriptures.
The Master then addresses him: "A true Orangeman should diligently read the
Holy Scriptures, and make them the sole rule of his faith and practice."
(17)There is a little hymn sung at lodge meetings in Scotland the tune of
"Stand up, stand up, for Jesus": - We won't give up the Bible Let men say
what they will, We've learned to love its precious truths, And mean to love
them still. We won't give up God's Holy Word For it we know is true; The
bulwark of our brotherhood The Orange and Purple too.
I MEMBERSHIP Another objection to lodges in general is that they create a
religious unity among men of different faiths. Jews are brothers to Moslems
and Mormons are brothers to Methodists. This blurs the uniqueness of Jesus
Christ and the Christian Church. It is a joining of believer with unbeliever
in a religious yoke (2 Cor 6:14-1 8). This "multi- faith" aspect of
Freemasonry is criticised. As well as Christians, Jews, Moslems and Hindus
may join the Freemasons.
Freemasonry is also open to those whom evangelical believers would consider
cult members, such as Mormons and Spiritualists. Joseph Smith, the founder
of Mormonism was a Freemason and gave the Masonic "sign of distress" when
being lynched by an angry mob. Men holding views, which the Christian church
would regard, as heretical have been Masons.
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10 By contrast, the Orange Order's membership is open only to members of the
Reformed and Protestant churches.The "Laws and Constitutions of the Loyal
Orange Institution of Scotland" state: "An Orangeman, being necessarily a
Protestant, must be a true Christian, as Protestantism is nothing less than
pure and Scriptural Christianity... he must hold the doctrines of the
Reformation, receiving the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God ... Thus a
Unitarian, Mormon, Spiritualist or Atheist can no more be an Orangeman than
can a papist. An Orangeman must belong to a Protestant Church or Christian
organisation, and ought to he an observer of the ordinances of public
worship".
(18)In our Order we have members, Clergymen and Ministers of many Protestant
denominations. We have Anglican Bishops and Pentecostal Pastors; we have
Methodist evangelists and Salvation Army Officers. We are not claiming that
every member of our Order is "a born again Christian", or even lives up to
our profession. We simply accept members on the basis of their church
commitment and allow the Lord to know those who are truly his. (2 Tim.
2:19). Anti-Masonic writer, the late W.J. McCormick also objects to Masonry
in that "the movement is exclusive and there is no place for the maimed,
young, poor, illiterate, down and out and no women are admitted."
Those considering the Orange Order need have no fears on this. We have blind
and handicapped people in our organisation, and some on parade are even
pushed along in their wheel chairs. We have all classes in membership, and
certainly many on the poorer side of life. Women and children may join the
Women's' and Junior branches of our Order, which are separate Institutions
in Ireland. We are an organisation for the whole family. I RITUAL Within the
lodge system, initiation is drawn out over several stages of "advancement"
known as degrees. The degree is a ceremony, or a drama in which the
candidate for initiation is the main actor. In Orange Lodges lectures are
given on Orangeism and Protestantism. Masonic lodges would major on
ceremonial and their meetings contain a great deal of ritual.
An Orange Lodge meeting by contrast would be marked by the absence of much
ritual. There is only the minimum necessary for decorum and to identify
valid members. An Orange Lodge meeting consists of prayers, hymns, Bible
reading, with explanation or address. The minutes of the previous meeting
are read and there is discussion on matters regarding the lodge in
particular and Protestantism in general. A new member is escorted in to the
lodge, takes an obligation of loyalty to his Sovereign, promises that he
will uphold the Protestant faith, hears a short lecture on the biblical and
historical aspects of Orangeism and takes his place in the lodge.
This is known as the first or Orange degree. The second degreeis the Purple.
It is similar to the Orange; it consists mainly in further lectures on what
the Orange Order stands for. There is no esoteric knowledge imparted and the
ceremonies are full of quotations from the New Testament.
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11 The third degreein Orangeism is the Royal Arch Purple. This is part of
the Orange Lodge in Scotland and England, while in Ireland it is a separate
organisation. It has to be admitted that this is the most "Masonic-like"
part of our ceremony. However it is fundamentally different and is not
"Masonic" in its theology. Let us explain. The degrees of Freemasonry draw
on Biblical narratives and moral teaching but would also add non-Biblical
mythology known as "traditional history".
Thus while the Bible mentions King Hiram of Tyre (1 Kings 9), it does not
mention anything about his supposed death and resurrection as in the Masonic
third degree ritual. The Royal Arch Purple degree of Orangeism is based on
Scripture, with no mythology or non-Biblical material. It is a ceremony of
instruction with an emphasis on the pilgrimage through life, death, judgment
and eternity. For many it is a very moving experience, impressing a sense of
eternity and the life of faith in Christ.
If the Orange Order were stripped of all its ritual it could continue to
exist. Ritual is not basic to its principles or motivation. SYMBOLISM On
Orange regalia, banners, arches and decorative diplomas, you will observe
emblems or symbols, which may appear similar to those of other lodges. For
example, pillars, an eye, a star or a ladder. All will agree that symbolism
is part of our Christian heritage. Pentecostals and charismatics use the
dove, or the flame, symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Other evangelicals like the
fish symbol. The emblem of the Presbyterian Church is the burning bush in
the midst of which God spoke with Moses, as recorded in Exodus chapter 3.
However your objection may be that some of our symbolism is similar to those
of other lodges, which in turn some fear is similar to that of occult
practices. Our reply is that several religious groups, even of conflicting
ideas, may have similar symbols, but these symbols mean very different
things. Let us give you some examples. The fish. This sign is one of the
earliest Christian symbols, and can be seen in badge form on many a born
again Christian's lapel.
But if a Philistine worshipper of Dagon in the 10th century B.C. were to be
transported into our time, he would think you were a fellow Dagon
worshipper! Dagon was the fish god and the fish was used as his symbol long
before the Christians "took it over". The five pointed star.To many people
this is a symbol of witchcraft and occultism. It is true that witches use it
in their ceremonies, although more correctly upside down with the two upward
points representing a goat's head, symbolic of Satan. Witchcraft proper did
not come into England until the 6th century AD with the coming of the Anglo
Saxons. However, according to Keller in "The Bible as History"
archaeologists have discovered the symbol of the five pointed star on
pottery belonging to the Jews during the time of Nehemiah.
(19)If ever you visit the Holy Land, you will also discover the same 5
pointed star carved into the stonework of the Synagogue at Capernaum. It was
known as the Star of Solomon, as opposed to the six pointed Star of David.
If you go to Bethlehem you will also discover the five pointed star as the
most prominent Christian symbol - the Star of Bethlehem. Many religions have
a five pointed star. It means what you want it to mean and nothing more.
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12 The all seeing eye.This symbol is seen on lodge documents, and people
conclude that it is a lodge symbol. Some claim the single eye symbol may
have been used in ancient Egypt to represent the goddess Osiris. But the
same symbol is also on the American evangelical "Family Temperance Pledge"
certificate. It also featured on the certificates of guilds and unions in
19th. Century England. It is also on the American dollar note!! Thus any
religious symbol may be used by any group, but their using it does not mean
that the symbol is evil. The symbol is neutral, it all depends what it means
to you. To us in the Orange Order, the symbols simply remind us of
well-known biblical passages, and encourage us to think about life, death
and the future.
ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE Esoteric knowledge is religious or philosophical
knowledge, which is only available to the select few who are initiated into
a cult. It is claimed that such knowledge gives one a moral and spiritual
advantage over those who do not possess it. This knowledge is usually extra
to the Bible. Such an idea was prevalent in the early church and was known
as Gnosticism (is Greek for knowledge). It may have been against such ideas
that Paul wrote in Colossians 2:8-10. "See to it that no one takes you
captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human
tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For
in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form and you have
been given fullness in Christ. "
The point being made is that in Christ we have all we need, and that the
Scriptures are sufficient for salvation, enlightenment and growth, into the
fullest maturity possible on earth. It is claimed that lodges have esoteric
knowledge to impart. However, let it be said that the Orange Lodge has no
extra biblical teaching. All our lectures and words are based on the Bible
and we have no place for knowledge, which adds to scripture. Before we leave
this subject, could it be said that at times Jesus taught esoteric
knowledge? In Mark Chapter 4 we read of Jesus teaching the people in
parables. In vs.34 we read "He did not say anything to them (the crowds)
without using a parable. But when he was alone with his disciples, he
explained everything."We often think of parables as making difficult truths
simple, but there were times when Jesus used them to make simple truths
difficult. In v 11 he told his disciples.
"The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the
outside everything is in parables, so that, they may be ever seeing but
never perceiving."SECRECY Sometimes lodges are thought to be "secret
societies" and this makes some Christians suspicious. They think that
secrecy must be a cloak to cover evil and wrongdoing. It conjures up in the
minds of some, conspiracy plots or the secret police in some political
regimes. Is the Orange Lodge a secret society? In short the answer must be
no, as so much has been written about and by the Orange Institution that
there is little which is not in the public domain.It is worthy of note that
when there have been Parliamentary Enquiries into the Orange Institution all
the information, including passwords, have been made available to the
enquirers. This action is hardly the action of a "secret society"!
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13 What goes on at our meetings ? Can anybody attend our meetings, and if
not, why not ? At an ordinary lodge meeting as we said before we simply have
prayers, Bible reading, minutes, discussion and admission of new members.
However part of our ceremonial work, which includes instruction on how we
may recognise one another, is a matter, which we wish to keep to ourselves.
The main reason being for security purposes. Because we are against
religious tyranny and superstition we have our enemies, so in order to
safeguard our meetings and members we have a measure of secrecy.
But is there anything wrong with that ? Could anyone just walk in and join a
church elders meeting, or the executive council of a denomination ? No!
Furthermore, there are times when secrecy is observed in decisions being
made. In many Churches when a new minister is to be appointed, the Vacancy
Committee whose job is to interview prospective ministers are told that
their work must be confidential.
Not even the church members are supposed to know what their deliberations
are. In the secular world we also accept that some things are secret. We
have classified information, national secrets and trade secrets. Some women
even have secret recipes handed down by word of mouth only from their
mothers! Perhaps a better word would be 'privacy'. It is unjust and
hypocritical for a Christian to deny Orangeism this basic human right. JESUS
AND SECRECY It is said by some that our Lord rejected all secrecy: "I have
spoken openly to the world ...... I said nothing in secret". John 18:20.
However we need to compare this with other scriptures and also to look at
the context. The occasion is Jesus trial before the High Priest Annas. He is
simply saying that his teaching was public. They had heard him many times in
the past and he was saying nothing new. Why didn't they question him then,
why leave it until now? Jesus was not saying that everything he taught was
in public and that he had no place for any private or confidential
instruction. We have already seen in Mark 4 that Jesus did in fact privately
impart to the disciples things he did not tell the crowd.
In the Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 6:3-18] Jesus advocated secrecy in
prayer, giving and fasting. Towards the end of his life on earth our Lord
engaged in a system of secrecy, passwords and signs. He realised that wicked
men were closing in on him and his band of disciples, and so to protect them
and him, and to ensure privacy, he adopted a measure of secrecy. In Mark
Chapter 11 we read of the donkey he was to use for his triumphal entry into
Jerusalem. This beast would only be released to the disciples if they gave
the proper answer to a question. The answer had been pre arranged. Question
(v3) "Why are you doing this ?" Answer "The Lord needs it and will send it
back here shortly"Vs.6 tells us that the disciples "answered as Jesus had
told them to, and the people let them go.
"The Scripture Union's teaching manual "Learning Together" comments on this
passage; - "We cannot tell whether there was a prearranged plan with a kind
of "password" (V3) or whether Jesus had supernatural knowledge . . ." (20)In
Mark Chapter 14 we see Jesus teaching the use of a secret password and a
secret sign. These would mean little to the outsider, but to the disciples,
there would be a deeper meaning, which only they would recognise. It was
Christ's last week and he wished to share the Passover with only his
disciples (members only!) in a secret meeting place (lodge room ?). He would
not even tell them directly the location but gave them a secret sign to look
for: "a man carrying a pot of water". To
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14 the outsider this would have been unusual, but the full significance
would be lost on them. They were to follow this man to a house and when they
arrived were to give a password! "The Teacher asks, where is my guest room,
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples ?" When the owner of the
house heard that phrase, he knew it was safe to admit them. THE EARLY CHURCH
AND SECRECY The early Christian church at times had to take on the form of a
"secret society". Due to the hostility of its enemies, it also developed a
system of code words and secret symbols. The best known being the sign of
the fish. The Greek word for fish was used as an acrostic, each Greek letter
being the first letter in this confession: "Jesus Christ, Son of God, our
Saviour."
This sign is found in the catacombs of Rome and on other early Christian
art. At first the meaning was known only to fellow Christians and a means
whereby they could recognise each other without having to say so. Another
secret symbol was the "Chi-Rho". This is also seen in Christian art. Again
it is the first two Greek letters of "Christ" It simply indicated that
Messiah's followers were around. Writing on the early church, historian
Christopher Donaldson describes this sign as: - "The chi-rho monogram secret
symbol of the early Christian church". (21)The Emperor Constantine had seen
this symbol in a vision and it was interpreted to him by Bishop Hosius,
according to Donaldson: - "The sign he had seen was the chi-rho the secret
symbolof the persecuted Christians".
(22)It is important to realise that the symbol was not invented by
Constantine, as some wrongly claim, but was already in use by the
Christians. It was adopted by Constantine and through him became popular. We
find examples of secret coding in some of the New Testament epistles. In 2
John v 1 the apostle writes "to the elect lady". Most commentators agree
that this referred to a church, the identity of which John wished to keep
secret if the letter fell into wrong hands. Thus John R.W. Stott writes of
this verse: "Why should the apostle have written thus to a local church ? We
can only guess the reason. It may have been for prudential reasons in days
when the world's persecuting hatred of the Church was overt." (23) Likewise
in 1 Peter 5:13 the apostle writes of "she who is in Babylon"and again
commentators suggest that this may not be literal Babylon but a code word
for another place. We are not saying that this is the way Christians and
churches should communicate! Today the church is not at present under the
same persecution. We are simply saying that at times a measure of secrecy
was used and is therefore not unscriptural as such.
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15 OATHS It is said that lodge members take oaths of secrecy. This is
objected to on the basis of Matt 5:33-37 and James 5: 12, and thus
Christians should not take oaths. But what is an oath ? It is invoking God
or the name of God to witness a binding promise. An example in Britain would
be an oath sworn when giving evidence in a court, "I swear by Almighty God
...... to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." We are
not able to speak for all other lodges, but the "Laws and Constitutions of
the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland" state: "The Orange Brotherhood
consists of . . . members, whose admission is not accompanied by the taking
of any oath." (24) Instead an Orangeman makes a "declaration" or an
"obligation" that he will be loyal to his country, his fellow members, and
that he will keep private the matters to be communicated to him. The name of
God is not invoked in any way to witness this, so it is not an oath. It is
similar to the declaration made at a Wedding service in England, "I (name)do
solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I (name)may
not be joined in matrimony to (name).(25)In our work as Ministers we are
often privy to very confidential things about peoples personal lives. People
volunteer personal information to us only after we promise not to divulge it
to anyone else. We promise to do so.
This is not an oath! If we were to divulge it, not only would this be a
breach of sacred trust, but dire consequences may come upon us! They would
probably resign from the church and report us to the denominational
authorities who would discipline us. PARA-CHURCH ORGANISATIONS Pastors often
encourage people to leave or not join lodges, as the local church is the
place where all Christian activity is to be conducted. Some of them also
discourage therefore para-church organisations like Youth for Christ, Full
Gospel Business Men's Fellowship etc. The ideal is that the local church or
a group of churches working together should he the means of outreach in the
Kingdom of God. Sadly, how many churches lack the vision! Therefore
para-church organisations have arisen, and where would the churches he
without them ? The Bible Society, Missionary Societies, Scripture Union,
etc. Likewise, the Orange Order has a role which the Protestant churches
should be taking up. That is, pointing out the erroneous doctrines of the
Church of Rome, banding Protestants together in the defence of their faith,
and seeking to maintain Protestant principles in church and state.
Sadly many churches today are not interested in that, and have no wish to
engage in controversy, despite the many Bible references, which say we
should point out error and expose it. The Orange Order does not seek to
compete with the churches; it seeks to work alongside them. A true Orangeman
must be loyal to his local church. Read our "Qualifications": ".. he should
remember to keep holy the Sabbath day, and attend the public worship of God,
and diligently train up his offspring, and all under his control, in the
fear of God, and in the Protestant faith." (26)
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16 A true Orangeman's spiritual priorities should be firstly, His God and
Saviour; secondly, his local church and thirdly his Orange Lodge. We teach
no way of salvation other than through Christ alone, we teach no morality
except through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The candidate for
admission is asked: "Do you promise to support the Protestant Religion, and
earnestly endeavour to propagate its doctrines and precepts ... and will you
endeavour, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to walk in public and in
private consistently with this profession ?" ORANGEISM AND THE GOSPEL
Evangelical critics of Freemasonry have often stated that Masonry is an
enemy of spiritual revival and that it has opposed evangelism and the work
of the Holy Spirit.
Indeed, the famous American revivalist" Charles Finney was a Mason prior to
his conversion but spent the later years of his life writing against
Masonry. Although Masonic lodges have had in their ranks men of integrity,
learning and wisdom, and even senior church leaders, as far as we are aware
none of them have been remarkable evangelists or have been involved in
revival. This cannot be said of the Orange Order. Many of its members have
been eminent in spiritual ministry and have been used by the Holy Spirit to
bring many to Christ. If our organisation was "demonic" and its membership a
thing to be repented of, we could not have produced men of such spiritual
power and usefulness. These men saw no incompatibility between their Orange
Lodge membership and a vibrant biblical faith.
Here are two examples: - (1) Rev. Dr. Hugh Hanna.Dr. Hanna was a prominent
Presbyterian Minister in 19thcentury Belfast, Northern Ireland. Because of
his strong preaching voice and zeal for the gospel he was known as "roaring
Hanna". Held in deep affection by the people of Belfast, they erected a
statue of him at Carlisle Circus. In 1859 a great Evangelical Awakening
spread throughout America and Britain. Hugh Hanna was one of the leaders of
that movement of God's Spirit. His biographer David G. Browne wrote: "Hanna
played a significant role in the "Year of Grace" which came months after a
dedicated band of young men met in County Antrim for study of the Word of
God and prayer.
In Berry Street (Hanna's church) for a period of three months Divine Service
was held every evening in the week and was attended by crowded and earnest
congregations." He goes on to describe some of the scenes: - "... Hanna
dissolved the people, but they were reluctant to leave. The service was
restarted; people were brought to a deep conviction of sin. Hanna commented:
"The Hand of God was visibly at work and acknowledged in our midst." The
following night at a prayer meeting, more were saved; the resolve was to
continue the meeting with such a Divine seal of approval. Hanna records that
the meetings in the Berry Street Church were the first assemblies identified
with the Revival movement in Belfast. The church was crammed every night and
many thousands of souls must have been brought within the influence of truth
. . . The Berry Street Church became the springboard for the Revival in
Belfast". (27) The Baptist preacher C.H. Spurgeon was a personal friend and
admirer of Hanna and referred to him in a sermon of 1885. R.M. Sibbett the
Orange historian writes of Hanna's contribution at the Belfast County Grand
Lodge:
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17 "Bro. Rev. Hugh Hanna, one of the most uncompromising of Protestants and
one of the most loyal and faithful of Orangemen." (28) (2) Rev. T.C.
Hammond. Rev. T.C. Hammond was an Anglican minister who became
Superintendent of the Irish Church Missions, the main home missions society
of the Church of Ireland, which seeks to spread the gospel among Roman
Catholics in Ireland. He later became an Archdeacon and was the author of a
popular handbook on theology, which has stood the test of time, "In
Understanding be Men" published by I.V.P. (29) Hammond's book is the basic
foundation manual for Christian doctrine used in many Bible Colleges
throughout the world. Eventually T.C. Hammond moved to Australia where be
became Principal of Moore Theological Seminary, which has had a great effect
in strengthening the evangelicals in the Anglican church of Australia. T.C.
Hammond also wrote widely on Christian ethics, his work "Perfect Freedom"
being a classic.
(30)Yet Hammond was a member of the Orange Order and held high office in
the Lodge in Australia. Today, the Orange Order has many men who are in the
front line of evangelistic work as preachers, gospel singers, missionaries
and evangelists. Many of the finest and best workers in our churches are
members of the Orange Order. It would be true to say as far as the "Loyal
Orange Institution of Ireland" is concerned, that the majority of Clergy and
Ministers entering the Order in recent years from the main denominations
have been evangelicals. This is not just a reflection of the growing number
of evangelicals within the major denominations, or a general rejection of
the ecumenism once so vigorously pursued by the main churches in Ireland. It
is a general recognition of the place of the Orange Institution as a bulwark
for the Reformed faith.
EVANGELICAL 0BJECTIONS In some evangelical circles there has been attempts
to dissuade others, especially young people from joining the Orange Order
and some pressure put on members to leave. It is important to think for a
while about the wider context of their objections and to understand where
they are coming from.
THE NEW FELLOWSHIPS. Over the past few decades there has arisen through the
charismatic movement, new fellowships known sometimes as the 'House Church
Movement' or 'Restorationism'. (See "Restoring the Kingdom" by Andrew
Walker, published by Hodder & Stoughton for background and arguments
against). Although there are many fine Christians among them and much truth
is taught, there is a bad attitude, which pervades among some of their
leaders. It is a sort of arrogance, which tends to dismiss everything
outside themselves and in history, much that came before themselves. It
tends to see itself as the apex of God's revelation through the church.
All other movements were good in part but they claim now that God has
finished with all this and is doing 'a new thing in the earth'. Such a
movement has little respect for the past or the heritage of the church in
terms of liturgy, confessions, hymnody and structure. These things are seen
as obsolete. This distorted and arrogant view of church history was seen in
a series in "Restoration" magazine entitled "Church Adrift" and written by
its editor, David Matthews. Such a view would have little time for the
historical aspects of Orangeism and Protestantism. Some of these leaders
also have an authoritarian pastoral
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18 relationship with their people, dictating as to what is right and wrong
for them. This is sometimes known as 'shepherding'. It is so easy for
younger people to fall under the sway of these 'charismatic' leaders, and
thereby forfeit the right to work things out for themselves. This is almost
a form of "Protestant popery". It is no wonder that they do not like the
Orange Order.
A SUBSTITUTE CHURCH.
Another objection to the Orange Institution is that it is an alternative
church, and ultimately a substitute for the church. This of course should
not be the case. As already pointed out; - "A true Orangeman's spiritual
priorities should be firstly, His God and Saviour; secondly, his local
church and thirdlyhis Orange Lodge." Before a candidate can join the
Institution in Ireland he must declare himself to be a member of a
Protestant denomination and a regular worshipper in a particular
congregation. In fact there can be many 'alternative churches' in the minds
of individuals.
It could be the Boys' Brigade, Girls' Brigade, Women's Meeting, the Bowls or
the local Women's Institute, which takes priority above the wholehearted
commitment to regular work and worship in any Christian fellowship. There
will, sadly, always be those who see their particular organisation - even a
church organisation - as an end in itself and not as a means to that end. If
the criticism of the Orange Institution is that it is a 'para-church' and
therefore as such it is unbiblical because it is not under the authority of
the church, then we will gladly concede. But as already pointed out there
are many other para-church organisations which have largely arisen to meet a
particular need, often where the churches have failed to meet that need! In
the past it has been the Loyal Orange Institution, which has stood for the
great principles and truths of the Reformation, when many of our churches
were ignoring these truths in the interests of ecumenism.
ANTI-CATHOLIC. In popular thinking the Orange Institution is often perceived
as an "anti-Catholic" organisation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The best friend that the Roman Catholic has is the truly devout Orangeman
who has pledged himself to 'abstain from all uncharitable words, actions, or
sentiments, towards Roman Catholics'. The truly devout Orangeman also
embraces the great Reformation principles of 'Civil and Religious Liberty',
and while he may not agree with a man's religious beliefs, he will not deny
him the rights of conscience. The Loyal Orange Institution is not a negative
"anti-Catholic" organisation but a truly positiveProtestant [Pro Testanto]
'witness for' he faith.
POLITICS. Some people object to the Orange Order on the grounds that it is
associated with a particular political ideology. Many people, quite wrongly,
perceive the Orange Institution to be a political organisation. Rev. Fred C.
Gibson, who was Superintendent of "The Irish Mission" of the Presbyterian
Church in Ireland, from 1931 until his death in 1953, saw the political
aspect of the Institution in its context: "While the Orange Order generally
has been closely associated with the political Party which has been loyal to
the Protestant Succession to the Throne, and the maintaining of the union
between Great Britain and Ireland, nevertheless there is something more
fundamental in the Order than this, and that is its adherence to the
principles of Protestantism" (31)
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19 Historically in Ireland the Orange Order has always been allied with a
broad Unionist ideology, simply because in the local context it is Unionism
which expresses in political terms the hopes and aspirations of Orangemen,
who affirm their allegiance to the British Crown and Constitution. Yet it
must be remembered that Orangeism is an International Brotherhood of
Protestants, which may, or may not, have a local connection to a particular
political ideology.
WHY ORANGEISM ? The Orange Order unites Protestants of all Reformed
denominations. It believes in the principles of democracy. These freedoms
were largely brought in through King William III, Prince of Orange in whose
memory our Order was founded. Whilst seeking to abstain from unkind words
and actions towards Roman Catholics', we seek to expose their Church as
idolatrous, superstitious and holding many unbiblical and anti-scriptural
doctrines. We seek to warn those Protestants who want unity with the Church
of Rome, that such a move would mean compromising the gospel. We seek to
advance Protestant principles in church, state and society at large.
We would not want the reader to think that we are unaware of the faults and
weaknesses in the Orange Institution in particular, and in Protestantism in
general. Sadly the situation has changed very little since Rev. Fred. C.
Gibson wrote: "The most alarming feature in the religious situation in
Ireland at the present time is not the decrease of Protestantism in Southern
Ireland, or the increase in Roman Catholicism in Northern Ireland,
threatening our Protestant ascendancy, but the inadequate and unsatisfactory
spiritual life of Protestants. What a contrast there is between the
religious Protestantism of the Waldenses, the early Reformers, and the
Covenanters, who were prepared to sacrifice all their worldly possessions,
and even lay down their lives, rather than be untrue to their evangelical
convictions, and the merely nominal Protestantism of thousands to-day who,
while professing to be Protestants, never enter a church, never open a
Bible, and know nothing in their own experience of the great basal doctrines
of Protestantism - Justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers,
and the right of private judgement." (32)We hope that this booklet has gone
some way in shedding light on the darkness. The other lodges have their own
apologists and will have to deal with the objections in the way they are
able. However as far as the Orange Lodge is concerned, our principles are
scriptural and ours is not to apologise but to answer current
misunderstanding by a clear presentation of the truth. Our prayer is that
this booklet will help to do that.
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20 APPENDIX 1. "THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ORANGEMAN"
An Orangeman should have a sincere love and veneration for his Heavenly
Father; a humble and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of
mankind, believing in Him as the only Mediator between God and man. He
should cultivate truth and justice, brotherly kindness and charity, devotion
and piety, concord and unity, and obedience to the laws; his deportment
should be gentle and compassionate, kind and courteous; he should seek the
society of the virtuous, and avoid that of the evil; he should honour and
diligently study the Holy Scriptures, and make them the rule of his faith
and practice; he should love, uphold, and defend the Protestant religion,
and sincerely desire and endeavour to propagate its doctrines and precepts;
he should strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the Church of
Rome, and scrupulously avoid countenancing (by his presence or otherwise)
any act or ceremony of Popish Worship; he should, by all lawful means,
resist the ascendancy of that Church, its encroachments, and the extension
of its power, ever abstaining from all uncharitable words, actions, or
sentiments towards Roman Catholics; he should remember to keep holy the
Sabbath day, and attend the public worship of God, and diligently train up
his offspring, and all under his control, in the fear of God, and in the
Protestant faith; he should never take the name of God in vain, but abstain
from all cursing and profane language, and use every opportunity of
discouraging those, and all other sinful practices, in others; his conduct
should be guided by wisdom and prudence, and marked by honesty, temperance,
and sobriety; the glory of God and the welfare of man, the honour of his
Sovereign, and the good of his country, should be the motives of his
actions.
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21 APPENDIX 2. "A REPLY TO W.J. McK. McCORMICK" In 1977 the anti-cult writer
W.J. McK. McCormick wrote a book entitled "Christ, the Christian and
Freemasonry."10,000 copies of the first edition were sold and in 1984 a
further edition was brought out. This enlarged edition contained a chapter
on the Orange and Black Institutions in which Mr McCormick linked them with
Freemasonry. He therefore named them for condemnation and avoidance by
evangelical Christians. The book was considered by the Press Committee of
the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland. The Committee "read the relevant passages
in question and after considering them and their poor presentation of the
place and purpose of the Institution it was agreed that the material did not
merit any action in rebuttal."
(33)To an extent they were right in not replying, as the arguments in Mr
McCormick's book were superficial and ill informed. However in 1987, because
of its popularity a further 5,000 copies of the book were printed in a 3rd
edition. This edition is still sold in most Christian bookshops throughout
the United Kingdom, in the section on cults. Many who know nothing about our
Order have been content to accept Mr McCormick's view and as a result
potential members have been lost to us and the arguments in the book have
been used to put pressure on others to leave. We felt that, even though Mr
McCormick's arguments are weak, an answer should now be given because of the
wide popularity of the book. PARTLY TRUE Mr McCormick admits that "Orangeism
is not in the same category as Freemasonry. It professes faith in the One
true and living God, and in Jesus Christ."
(p. 133) He acknowledges the help the Order has given to the preaching of
the gospel. However he then goes on to show that several of the ritual
features of our Order are "Masonic" in character. We have admitted that
elsewhere in this book but conclude that Orangeism could be described as a
Christianised or "Reformed Freemasonry", with the unscriptural and erroneous
bits cut out and the movement brought into line with evangelical doctrine. A
similar example could be the "Reformed Catholicism" of the Anglican
churches. He states that James Wilson, one of the founders of the Orange
Order, was a Freemason and thus a direct link is assumed. In support of this
he quotes from Orange historian R.M. Sibbett's "Orangeism in Ireland etc"
"Wilson was also a member of the Society of Freemasons, which fully
qualified him for establishing a new Order of a secret character. He was
already familiar with signs and passwords.. . " (34)Mr McCormick leaves the
story there and allows his readers to assume the direct link. However,
Sibbett goes on to say of Wilson: "... he repeatedly asked the Freemasons to
interfere on behalf of the Protestants. They refused, however, and,
indignant at their conduct, he mounted his horse to return home. But, before
going, he addressed his brethren, telling them that he would light a star in
the Dian
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22 (Co. Tyrone) which would eclipse them for ever.' Arrived at home, he
conceived the idea of the new organization of the Orange Boys." (35)Mr
McCormick conveniently leaves this part out! Wilson left the Masons,
disillusioned with them and formed a completely new society having no links
with them. He also assumes, quite wrongly, that there is a connection
between the Orange Boys and the Orange Institution. As already pointed out
the Orange Institution was formed after the Battle of the Diamond on 21st
September 1795. The Orange Boys were already in existence at the date of the
battle. If Mr McCormick had continued to read after the quoted reference in
Sibbett, he would have seen that the 'Orange Boys' and the 'Orange
Institution' were two different and distinct organisations. Sibbett goes on
to state "A good many proofs might be brought forward to show that the
Association [Orange Boys] existed for a time after the inauguration of the
greater and more permanent Institution,. . " (36)
It seems odd that Mr McCormick, so aware of the methods of the cults in
taking things out of context, should be guilty of the same! WEAK On page 137
he states what he calls "Biblical Objections to Orangeism". But on
examination, we see these to be very weak and debatable among Christians.
His firstobjection is that 'Orangemen promise to support and maintain the
Laws and Constitution of these realms.' He adds that many believers consider
parts of that Constitution to be unscriptural.
This obligation on an Orangeman is simply to assert that we are 'law and
order' people and are not anarchists. Romans 13:1-7 states very clearly that
a Christian must respect the governing authorities and the law of the land.
It is not an obligation to support every single law passed by the government
of the day. Many laws are unscriptural and unjust. We must work to change
these laws. The basic Constitution of the United Kingdom as enshrined in The
Bill of Rights of 1688 has been the bedrock of our nation. To the extent to
which our nation has forsaken its godly foundations, we have floundered.
This surely, must be one of the strangest objections to Orangeism ever
recorded. For this kind of criticism to come from an evangelical Christian
writer is beyond belief! His secondobjection is to 'secret societies'. We
have already answered this one, proving from scripture that there is a case
for secrecy, and that the quotation from John 18 "I ever spoke openly... In
secret have I said nothing", is used entirely out of context, Otherwise it
would be contradicted by other scriptures like Mark 4:10-12, Matt 17:9. We
have already dealt with the issue of 'oath taking', which is his
thirdobjection. The Orange Order does not have oaths as such, only
declarations and obligations.
His fourthargument is that some our titles sound "religious" and that the
Master of a lodge is called "Worshipful Master." Again Mr McCormick's
objection is weak if not silly. The adjective 'worshipful' has nothing to do
with worship! "Worshipful" is an old English term meaning 'respected'. It is
used in England of Mayors and Magistrates, "The Worshipful the Mayor of . .
." or "Your worship." Likewise "Master" has no religious significance such
as 'spiritual master, guru, etc.,' - that is what Jesus is objecting to in
Matt. 23:1-12. We have no problem in referring to 'master bakers', 'master
builders', etc. That is the same source of the lodge term 'master'.
Incidentally Jesus also told us to call no man 'teacher' (Matt 23:8). Yet we
refer to some today as `great Bible teachers'.
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23 His fifthobjection is that Orangeism involves the unequal yoke (2 Cor
6:14). This text is often quoted by Christians who teach a strong separation
line. Sadly in most cases it comes from a self-righteous spirit and
judgementalism. But how can we answer it ? Let's look more closely at Paul's
analogy of the yoke. The yoke meant a form of discipleship with the
inability to dissent.
If two are yoked, it means one must go where the other goes, and usually the
stronger determines where the weaker goes. This analogy would he true in the
marriage between a believer and an unbeliever. It is stretching the point to
make it refer to sitting for an hour or so once a month in a lodge meeting
where everyone may not be a born again Christian! Finally he asserts that
Unitarian Ministers are chaplains. In Scotland, a Unitarian may not join the
Orange Order: - "An Orangeman ... must acknowledge those doctrines set forth
in the Articles of Faith, Confessions and Catechisms of the Churches of the
Reformation. Thus a Unitarian ... can no more be an Orangeman than can a
papist." (37)Perhaps he is referring to a denomination in Ireland called the
Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church whose members may join our Order.
This denomination traces its origin to the two Arian or Non-Subscription
controversies in Irish Presbyterianism, in the early eighteenth century and
the mid nineteenth century. While these controversies involved the question
of subscription to the 'Westminster Confession of Faith', as well as the
doctrine of the Trinity, it is quite wrong to assume that all members of
that denomination are 'Unitarian' in theology - many are in fact
Trinitarian. One Orange Chaplain is known to be from that denomination but
be, we are assured, is a Trinitarian. So it is wrong to assume that all
members of this denomination must of necessity be Unitarian in theology. Mr
McCormick's objections probably come from his view of the church and the
gospel. There are some evangelical Christians who claim to know who are
'saved' and who are not. Yet according to 2 Tim 2:19 it is The Lord who
knows who are His. 1 Sam 16:7 surely applies: "Man looks on the outward
appearance but the Lord looks on the heart."Members of the Orange Lodge are
accepted on the basis of their confession of faith, in the same way that
most churches accept members.
We sympathise with those who would prefer only 'born again believers' in
their churches, but it's not so easy to tell!! Professions of faith must be
testedbefore they can be trusted. We have learned, after some 15 years in
the ministry in evangelical churches, the truth of the words of our Lord,
that: - "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many
will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles ?' Then 1 will
tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'"(Matthew
7:21-23) A person is not 'saved' just because he says he is 'saved'. The
emphasis of the Apostle Paul has always been the emphasis of the Reformed
Churches; - " . . . I preached that they should repent and turn to God and
prove their repentance by their deeds". (Acts 26:20) The Apostle Paul was
later to address Titus (Titus 1; 1) as " . . . a servant of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ for..... the truth that leads to godliness".
The true Biblical understanding of regeneration, highlighted at the
Reformation, is that regeneration is always followed by a work of
sanctification and is therefore seen in a life of practical godliness. The
New Testament church contained within it, members whose spirituality was not
all it should have been, to say the least. The Reformed Churches have always
held that there is a visible church
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24 consisting of all those who outwardly profess faith, and within that is
an invisible church of those whose hearts have been regenerated. The Orange
Order, along with most churches takes its members from the visible church.
Included in our membership would be those who can point to a very definite
Christian conversion experience, as well as others who were brought up in
the church and have gradually been led to see Christ for who He is, and put
their trust in Him. There are certainly others who may show no evidence of
conversion or fruits of Christian commitment, but in such cases there is a
wonderful opportunity for evangelism! In other words, the Orange Lodge
sounds exactly like our churches - a mixed bag.
UNTRUE Mr McCormick has in his book statements, which are completely false.
On page 139 he writes, "According to the Ritual of the Orange Institution,
even converted Roman Catholics are debarred from membership ... In Orangeism
natural birth takes precedence over the spiritual birth." This is utter
nonsense! The "Laws and Constitutions of the Loyal Orange Institution of
Scotland", 1986 state: "No ex-Roman Catholic will be admitted into the
Institution unless he is a Communicant in a Protestant Church for a
reasonable period."(38) Likewise the "Constitution, Laws and Ordinances of
the Loyal Orange Institution of Ireland" (1967) state: "No person who at any
time has been a Roman Catholic.... shall be admitted into the Institution,
except after permission given by a vote of seventy five per cent of the
members present founded on testimonials of good character . . . "(39)In the
19th century, Rev. Dr. Mortimer O'Sullivan, a converted Roman Catholic was a
Grand Chaplain of the Orange Order in Ireland.
In the 1950's Scotland also had a converted Roman Catholic as a Grand
Chaplain - Rev. William McDermott ! The second example of an untruth is the
supposed 'Ritual' of the Orange Order, which he published on pages 150 -
152. Although quite harmless in itself, one of the writers of this booklet
as a lecturer in the Orange and Purple, does not ever recall hearing it in
Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada or any Lodge where he has visited in
Ghana. Writing to the County Grand Lecturer of Belfast, Bro. Thomas Haire,
enclosing Mr McCormick's "Orange Ritual" and he replied: - "Your letter
arrived in good time to enable me to discuss it also with the County Grand
Lecturer of the Royal Arch Purple Chapter in Belfast. Apart from the
reference to (one word!). . . . everything else, including signs, are
unknown to us and most certainly do not and as far as I understand never
have had anything to do with our Institution." (sic) (personal letter to
Rev. lan Meredith 12110192) So much for Mr McCormick's sources. They are,
false and totally unreliable. And this is the man who sets himself up as an
authority on cults, exposing their 'out of context' quotations and
unreliable sources.
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25 NOTES 1. "Orangeism: Its Religious Origin Its Scriptural Basis Its
Protestant Principles", page 1. 2. "The Unlocked Secret - Freemasonry
Examined" James Dewar, Corgi Books 1990 3. "The Brotherhood" Stephen Knight,
Panther Books 1985 4. "The Christian answer to the Lodge" John R. Rice,
Sword of the Lord 5. "Freemasonry and Christianity - Are they compatible ?"
Church of England Report. Church House Publishing 1987 6. Minutes of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1992), page 34 7.
Martin Short "Inside the Brotherhood" Pub. Grafton Books 1989, pages 238-239
8. "Orangeism in Ireland etc" R. M. Sibbett - Thynne & Co 1930's Vol 1, page
268 9. Quoted by Haffner in "Workman Unashamed" - The testimony of a
Christian Freemason. Lewis Publishing 1989, page 14 10. "Laws and
Constitutions of the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland."1986, page 2 -
"Principles and Objects of the Brotherhood"
11. "Constitution, Laws and Ordinances of the Loyal Orange Institution of
Ireland." 1967, page 1 "Basis of the Institution" 12. "Loyal Orange
Institution of Scotland Manual of Ritual and Ceremony for Lodges" 1983, page
29 13. "Qualifications of an Orangeman" - see Appendix 1 14. Haffner Ibid,
page 42. 15. "Qualifications of an Orangeman" 16. Haffner Ibid, page 48. 17.
"Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland Manual of Ritual and Ceremony for
Lodges" 1983. 18. "Laws and Constitutions of the Loyal Orange Institution of
Scotland' 1986, page 2. 19. "The Bible as History" W. Keller, Hodder &
Stoughton 1956, page 308. 20. "Learning Together" Scripture Union 25th March
1990. 21. "Martin of Tours" Christopher Donaldson, Routledge & Kegan Paul,
page 10. 22. Ibid, page 32 23. "Epistles of John" commentary by J.R.W.
Stott, page 202. 24. "Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland Laws and
Constitution", page 4. 25. Legal declaration for all weddings in England.
26. "Qualifications of an Orangeman" 27. "Hugh Hanna - A biography" David G.
Browne, 28. Ibid. 29. "In Understanding be Men" T.C. Hammond, 1.Y.P. 30.
"Perfect Freedom" T.C. Hammond, I.V.P. 31. "The Orange Order - A Religious
Institution" in "Orangeism: Its Religious Origin Its Scriptural Basis Its
Protestant Principles", page 18. 32. Ibid, pages 23-24. 33. "Grand Orange
Lodge of Ireland Report "1984 34. Ibid Vol. 1, page 267 35. Ibid Vol. 1,
page 268 36. "Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland Laws and Constitution",
page 2 37. Ibid Vol. 1, page 268 38. Ibid, page 4 39. Ibid, page 6
